The University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague (UCTP) is a typical research university, providing a top-class education in the fields of chemistry, materials chemistry, biochemistry and related technologies. It is one of the largest educational and research establishments in these fields in Europe.
UCTP closely collaborates with the industrial sector and is committed not only to the publication of the results achieved, but also to their practical implementation. Research activities conducted at UCTP have the advantage of a robust infrastructure consisting of a technical library, central laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, as well as a publishing house specialising in chemistry and related fields. Besides the permanent staff, the students of PhD and MSc programmes are intensively involved in the research activities.
The broad range of specialisations includes “Hydrogen and membrane technologies” which trains specialists to operate, maintain and develop hydrogen-related technologies. The establishment of this program was motivated by the UCTP tradition of following and supporting the philosophy of sustainable development. This also covers renewable energy production, conversion and storage.
The Technical Electrochemistry research group responsible for carrying out this program has many years of experience in fuel cell and hydrogen research. Its current research activities cover the fields of material (catalyst, membranes, etc.) development and testing, cell set-up and optimisation as well as system design. The focus is on low-temperature PEM and alkaline systems and also SOFC/SOEC systems. The unique advantage of our research is the direct connection between experimental work and mathematical modelling. The mathematical modelling laboratory uses a broad portfolio of software tools (MatLab, COMSOL, Fluent, ASPEN plus, etc.) to understand and describe fundamental phenomena as well as to design the related technologies.
The UCTP research activities in the field of hydrogen technologies are currently funded by national bodies (Grant Agency of the Czech Republic, Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic and Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic) as well as by the European Union. On the European level, the support of research and development in the field of hydrogen technologies is provided exclusively by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU). UCTP is the only member representing the Czech Republic in FCH JU. It is a member of the Hydrogen Europe Research (former N.ERGHY) grouping.